Dairy equipment cleaner



Aug. l1, 1942. J. A. SCHMITT' DAIRY EQUIPMENT CLEANER Fil'ed Sept. 1Q, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L fwn/W7 n 1 m. i ,ev Z .Y m

Aug. 1,1, 1942. LA. SCHMITT 2,292,849 DAIRY EQUIPMENTV CLEANER Filed sept. io,v 1941 2 Vsheets-Sheet 2 machines or the like.

Patented Aug. 11,1942

John A. Schmitt, Waukesha, Wis., assigner to The Universal Milking- Machine Company`,

Waukesha, Wis., a'corporation of Wisconsin Application september 1o, 194 1,"seriai No. 410,280

5 Claims.

The presentfinvention relates generally to improvements in dairy'I equipment cleaners, and relates more specifically to various improvements' in the construction and operation ofi vapparatus for sterilizing or washing the teatI cups, connecting tubes, and pail lids of milking An object of the invention improved cleaner for the teat cups, connecting tubes, and pail lids of varioustypes of milking machines or the like, which is simple in construction 'and eflicient in operation.

In my prior Patent No. 2,233,852, granted March 4, 1941, is shown an improvedwasher for effecting simultaneous cleaning of the teat types of milking machines without necessarily disconnecting either the teat cups from the connecting tubes, or the tubes from the pail lids. While this prior apparatus permitted the use of a standard pulsator for the purpose of controla' ling the flow of cleansing liquid to and from the liquid surge zone. itI was necessary to de,- tach the pulsator from the pail lid to which it was normally attached and to mount theremoved pulsator upon a special support associated with the washer, thereby somewhatl complicating the structure and also resulting in loss of time.- This prior washing machine was more-l over somewhat dinicultK `to manipulatef; because the pail lid was disposed at the lower end or bottom of the cleansing liquid `surge receptacle, and the latter had to belifted lbodily when applying and removing the lids; and while the functioning of the prior structure was entirely `satisfactory, the machine itself was relatively bulky and could only be used to clean one pail lid at a time.,

It is therefore a more specific object -oi the present improvement to provide a dairy equipment cleaner which overcomes all of the above mentioned objectionable featuresA of my prior cleaner; and which is extremely simple, compact and durable in construction, and whichis moreover rapidly and readily manipulable to eect thorough simultaneous washing of several pail lids and of the teat cups associated therewith by means of connecting tubes.

is to provide an l to control the 'iioW" of li'quid to and from the wash water surging zone. q

Afurther specific object of this invention is to provide an improved teat cup and pail lid washing assemblage in which the lids are applied to upwardly exposed side portions of the surging zone,V Vthus making them readily accessible for application and removal, to and from the tank orkhousing through which the cleansing liquid is caused to surge.

smi another specific object of the invention f is to provide a new and useful dairyequipment cups, connecting tubes, and pail lids ofy various washing unit for cleansing pail lids, and assoelated parts, whereinthe washing liquid ismost effectively applied to the surfaces of the lids and 'other parts requiring cleansing or sterili-^ zation.

kof milking machines, at the option An additional lspecific object of my inventionis to provide an improved cleansing unitadaptedl to simultaneously wash several standard pail'lids and associated parts, and which is furthermore adapted to cooperate with lids of cii 'rent types e Y f the user.

A furthe additional object of the presentimvention is Io provide an improved dairy equipment washing assemblage which can be readily manipulated by a-novice to effectively perform the following description. A clear conception of the various features tages of the invention will be apparent constituting the present improvement, and of.,

Another specific object of my present inven' tion is to provide an improved sterilizing land washing device for the pail' lids, teat cupsand connecting tubes of various types of milking machines, vwherein the .pulsatorswhich arenormally associated with'the pail lids need not be detahealftnerefqm,'butniay stili be utilized 5? with span 11a ora making machine or the type y the mode of constructing and of operating the improved cleaners in conjunction with several types of milking machine equipment, may/be hadr by referring to the drawings accompanying 'and forming a part of this speciflcationwhe' ein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views. Y. i

Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of one of the improved dairy equipment cleaners, show ir'ig the same cooperating with two standard milking machine fpail lids of the type wherein thefpail is normally harnessed' directly to the COW; j

Fig. 2 is a central verticaltransverse section through the cleaning apparat assembled and being used as in Fig. 1, the ction .being taken along the line 2-q-2;`

ment cleaner, showing the same "cooperating wherein the pail is normally located remote from the cow; and

Fig. 4 is a part sectional front -view of the cleansing apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the section being taken along the line 4-4.

Although the improvements constituting this invention have been shown and described hereas being associated with a spout I9 located at the in as being cooperable with the lids and assol 4 ciated parts of only several types of relatively standard and well known milking machines, it is not the' intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the present invention. The term pulsator used herein, is intended to include any apparatus adapted to alternately connect a space to a vacuum source such as a pump, and to a zone of high pressure such as the ambient atmosphere. and these pulsators -are ordinarily associated with the pail lids of standard milking machines of various types in order to expand and contract the rubber teat cup liners, known as inilations. The term teat cup" as employed herein, is also intended to. include bothvthe casings and the infiations of the cups, and these teat cups may be connectedl wtih the lids either individually or collectively.

l Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the

improved cleansing unit shown therein comprises in general, a source such as a tank 1 containinga supply of sterilizing or washing liquid 9; anannular or circular receptacle or casing 9 having an integral rear suspension bracket I9 for facilitating attachment thereof to supporting structure such as a wall II above the liquid supplytank 1, and being provided with oppisite side openings of approximately the same diameter as the interior of the casing bounded by upwardly and'inwardly inclined annular pads I2; a pulsa. tor nipple or connection I3, communicating with the uppermost portion of the washing chamber I4 bounded by the casing 9, and having its casing end shielded by inwardly and downwardly inclined guard walls I5 formed integral with and within the casing 9; a sight plate I9 having `a transparent window I1. an'd being detachably associated with the upper front portion of the main casing 9; a one-way gravity actuated flap `valve I9 cooperating with an excess liquid overflow duct or spout I9 formed integral with the front medial portion of the fixed casing; a cock 29 disposed at the lowermost portion of the surge i2, 'guard walls I5, and spout I9 may either be formed as a single integral casting, or of integrally united separate parts; and rthe pulsator connection I9 is preferably formed as an elbow directed rearwardly and having its free end vupwardly and rearwardly inclined in order to fafront medial portion of the main casing 9, this valve' may be disposed at the lowermost portion oi' the casing 9 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Here the modified flap valve I9 coacts with a central lower duct or down-spout I9', and the valve I9' is swingably suspended from a pivot 24 and is counterbalanced and biased toward closed-position'by means of an adjustable weight 29'. In all other respects, the cleansing unit of Figs. 3 and 4 is the sameas that of Figs. 1 and 2, and each of the two types of units is also preferablyl provided with a blank side plate or closure cover 26 having a sealing ring or gasket 21 and one or more nipples 28 adapted to be closed by means of rubber Stoppers or caps 29, and the purpose of which will be later explained.

When the improved sterilizing and washing assemblage is to be used for cleaning milk pail lids of the type wherein the pail is adapted to be harnessed directly to the cow,` it is preferable to simultaneously treat two lid, hose and teat cup assemblies, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this type of milking machine equipment, each pail lid 99 is provided with an inner centering ridge 9I and a peripheral flange 92 coacting with a sealing gasket 21 of rubber or the like. and has av series of four teat cups 99 attached thereto by means of ilexible connecting tubes 94 secured to nipple portions 99. The center of each pail lid 99V has a through opening 99 therein with which a 'tapered valve 91 coacts, and a standard pulsator 98 such as shown and described in my Patent No. 2,233,852, is normally firmly attached to theoutside of each pail lid 99 over the valve 91 thereof. Each of the pulsators 98 is provided with four connections 99 on the side thereof adjacent to the nipple portions 95, and these connections 99 are adapted to be placed in communication with the teat cups 99 during normal milking operation, but when the lids 30 are applied to the washing unit, one of the pulsator connec- V tions 99 should be attached to the hose29. The

' shown in Figs. 1 and 2.have been properly apcilitate attachment of a pulsator hose 29 thereto."

The ilap valve I 9- of Figs. 1 and 2, which coacts with the casing duct or'spout I9, may be suspended from a pivot 29 carried by the casing 9 and may also be provided ,with a gravityy weight- 25; and this valve I9 is adapted to be closed against the spout I9 when the chamber I4 is under vacuum, by atmospheric pressure acting on the outer surface of the valve, and to be. automatically opened by excess liquid within the chamber Il when atmospheric pressure is established in this chamber. While the liquid discharge valve I9 has been shown in Figs. land 2 pulsator 99 also has a hose connection 4I com municating with a source of vacuum suchhas a pump, andiis I,ai'itomatically operable .to produce rhythmical alternations of iluid'pressure in the,

chamber I4 by intermittently connecting the hose ,5

29. with the source of vacuum, and with the atmosphere. The central valve`91 and opening 99 of each pail lid 99 should be provided with a sealing plug 42 as shown in Fig. 2, in order to permit the pulsator 99 to function properly: and if onlymone pail lidassemblage is to be washed, the opposite side opening of the casing 9 should be sealed by a' closure cover 29 having the sealing caps 29l applied 'to the nipples 291 thereof as shown in Fig. 4. l

During normal operation of the improved washing unit, when two pail lids 99 of the type plied as depicted, the pulsator 99 which is connected to the pump, will'be active, and when the hose connection 4I is opened the active pulsator will intermittently connect ,the chamber Il'with the vacuum source, and will alternately connect this chamber with\ the ambient atmosphere, 'When the chamber I4' is connected to the vacuum source, liquid 9 will be drawn upwardly from the supply tank 1 through the teat cups 99, con-l necting tubes 94 and inclined nipples 99. into the chamber I4, and due to the inwardly inclined direction of-the nipples 99, the liquid will f I be delivered across the chamberll and against the innervside of the pail, lid 99.on the opposih side of the casing 9. After a predetermined quantity of liquidl has been sucked into the chamber I4', as predetermined by'adjustment or pre-setting of the pulsator 38', this pulsator will automatically place the hose 23vin communication with the atmosphere', thereby breaking'the vacuum in the chamber I4 and establishing atmospheric pressure therein. This-admission of air to the; chamber I4 will cause the'excess liquid 8 to flow back to the supply tank 1, both through-the nipple portions 35, connecting tubes' 34 and teat cups 33, and through the spout I9.

" The valve I8 which coacts with this spout I9 will be maintained tightly closed by external air pressure while the chamber I4 is being subjected to vacuum, .but when this chamber is subjected to atmospheric pressure,` the valve I8 will automati# cally open and permitfree escape of excess liquid 8 from the chamber I4. Thisalternate upward a ission or surgingy of liquid into the chamber .s 8, and downward dow of the liquid therefrom,

will continue until the washing operation has been completed, whereupon the hose 4I 'may be closed off, the drain cock may be openedA to permit escape of trapped liquid, and the pail lids 30 may be removed upon release of the clamps 2 I.

Obviously either two pail lid assemblages may be thus washed'simultaneously, or one lid assembly may be washed by closing the opposite casing opening with ablank cover 26; and the guard walls I5 effectively prevent undesirable splashing of liquid 8 into the connection I3 when the liquid is projected upwardly along and against the inclined inner surfaces ofthe lids 30. e

When the improved sterilizing and washing assemblage is tok be used for cleaning mill;l pail lids of the type wherein the pail is normally lowill be delivered into and across the chamber I4 toward the nipples 28 on the opposite side.

After a predetermined quantity of-llquld 8 has g thus been introduced: into the chamber I4',vthe` pulsator 38 will automatically break the vacuum and will admit atmospheric air, whereupon some liquid 8 from the chamber I4 will flow back to the supply tank "through the valve 4B, tubes 45 and teat cups 44, while the excess liquid will pass directly through the spout I5' and past the lower valvey I8'. lThis cycle of operations will be repeated until thorough cleansingv hasl been effected, whereupon the pail lid 43 may be quickly removed from the washer by merely releasing l the clamps 2|; and if additional tubes y45 have been applied to one or more of the nipples 28, these may also be quicklyremoved. l

to the inclined disposition ofthe pads I2 andvof the nipple portions 35 of the pail lids 30 to position these 1ids 30 as in Figs. 1 and'z; -it maybe desirable when washing and sterilizingpail lids 43, to position the valves 46 thereof further above v the ylower portion of the chamber I4, and this can readily be done since, the lid ridges Mare circular and coact with oircularopeningls in the annular pads I2 voi'the casing 8. `This construction of the parts will permit the lids 30, 43 to be turned to any desiredv position before being clamped to the casing 8, and the same is true of the closure cover 26. In any event, .the guard 1n is to be noted, that while it is 'preferable due -I Walls I5 will l"prevent liquidl from reaching the connection I3, and the washing action within the chamber I4 may be viewed vthrough the window I'I. Any suitable typeof clamp 2| may also be used, and these clamps may be disposed othercated remote from the cow, it may be preferable to treat only a single lid having either one or two hose and teat. cup assemblies associated therewith, at a time, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and 'to close the opposite casing opening with a blank closure plate 26. In this type of milking machine equipment,I the pail lid 43 is-likewise provided with an inner centering ridge 3| and a peripheral flange 32 coacting with a sealing gasket 21, and the lid 43 has either one or two clusters of teat cups 44 suspended therefrom by means of relatively long tubular connections 4 5.

. The end of, each connection 45 adjacent to;V the lid 43, is'connected to a shut-of! valve 43,-' and this type of :pail lid 43 is also provided with a central opening 36 and valve 31, and with a pulsator 38 disposed over the valve 31, When the pail lid 43"v is applied to the washerl casing 3 with the/"aid of the clamps 2|, it should also be Y provided with a central sealing plug 42 for the 'opening 8,6, and the proper ulsator con ections should be attached to the h ses 23, 4I a shown. if so desired, two of the modified pail 1i assemblages may Vbeapplied vto the washer si ltaneously or several additional teat cup and ube assemblages may be applied to the nipples 28 of the cover 28.

During normal 'operation of t e washer when a pail lid 4 3 such as shown in Fgs. 3f and 4 has been properly applied, the pulsator 38 after being connected to the vacuum source through the hose 4I will again intermittently lconnect the chamber I4 with the source of vacuum. and will alternately lconnect thischa'inber with the -ambient atmosphere. .Whenever the chamber I4 is connected to vacuum, liqui '8 will be drawn up- ,wardly from the supply ta 1 through the teat vcups 44. vconnecting tube wise than as shown.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved unit for most effectively cleansing -V standard-pail lid and teat cup assemblages of various types, which is extremely simple, compact and durable in construction, andl which is moreover readily manipulable and performs its duty automatically. The improved washing assemblage is very flexible in its adaptations, and can be manufactured and operated at moderate cost, and by virtue oi the fact that the pail lidsk are applicable to upwardly facing side pads '|2, these lids can be conveniently applied, removed and adjusted. The pulsators 38 which are nor-` mally attached to the lids,v need not be removed therefrom, and the inclined disposition of the lids enhances the washing action especially when pail lids 30 are applied to the washer. The washing action on the inside of the lid 30, 43./may also be materiallygenhan'ced when only one of these lids is b ing cleansed, yby attaching .a hose to the nipple 8 associated with the cover 28, and

this nipple 8 will then deliver the wash water against the pail lid at the opposite side ofthe washer. by virtue of the inclined disposition o! i the nipple 2s. The inclination or yche pads lz may be-varied throughout a considerable range,

and this inclination also serves to prevent the valves 46 from dropping out .of place. The an-l nular or circularlformation of the main casing 9sy with its large alined opposite side openings, is important since this construction reduces the washer to most-compact form, and valso facilitates application and removal'of the lids. The .entire cleaning unit4 may be readily suspended from a wall Il or'other support, and occupies f ,and ,valve 4s, and 75 'very little space considering )its cleaning capacity;

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modiilcations within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

1. In a device for washing milking machine assemblies each consisting of a pail lid with a pulsator normally applied thereto and having the teat cups suspended from the lid by the connecting tubes so that the cups may be submerged in a supply of cleansing liquid located beneath the device, a fixed casing forming a liquid reception chamber and having a side opening and a lower outlet. means for detachably attaching a pail lid and pulsator assembly to said casimg at said side opening, means for connecting the lid supported pulsator with an upper portion of said chamber, and a valve associated with said casing outlet for permitting escape of excess' through the teat cups and connecting tubes and is subsequently permitted to return to said source from within said chamber through the connecting tubes and teat cups while excess liquid gravitates past said valve.

2. A device as per claim 1, characterized thereby, that the xed casing is formed as an annulus having an approximately horizontal axis, and with the side opening approximately the same diameter as that of the liquid reception chamber.

3. A device as per claim 1, characterized thereby, that the casing has opposite side openings each adapted to receive a pail lid assemblage in such position that the cleansing liquid admitted tothe chamber through each lid will be directed toward. the inside oi' the other lid.

4. A device as per claim 1, characterized thereby, that the suction connection from the pulsator to the interior of the liquid reception chamber is provided with a guard for preventing now ot liquid from within this chamber to the pulsator.`

5. A device as per claim 1, characterized thereby, that the casing has opposite side openings each provided with an annular seating pad for a pail lid, and that these opposed pads have plane seating surfaces inclined toward each other approaching the top of the casing.

JOHN A. SCHMITT. 

